Method for connecting edges of sheet metal



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METHOD FOR CONNECTING EDGES OF SHEET METAL Original Filed Oct. 7, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet Sept. 15, 1970 x. LIPP 3,528,167

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METHOD FOR CONNECTING EDGES OF SHEET METAL Sept. 15, 1970 Sheets-$heet 1 Original Filed Oct. 7, 1965 lnvenlar: maven. upr-i By: M -rroaf y United States Patent Office 3,528,167 Patented Sept. 15,, 1970 L 4 ,85 Int. Cl. B21d 39/00,- 1323p 11/00 U.S. Cl. 29-509 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of foldably interconnecting sheet metal portions which are perpendicular to each other. The mutually perpendicular sheet metal portions extend parallel to each other, and while their edges are spaced from and parallel to each other one of these edges is bent through an angle of 90. Then this bent portion is placed against the other sheet metal portion at a location spaced slightly from the free edge of the latter. This latter free edge is then bent around the first bent free edge portion. Then the folded edge portions are together folded against the surface of the first sheet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a division of copending application Ser. No. 493,737, filed Oct. 7, 1965, now Pat. No. 3,407,- 640, and entitled Device for Connecting Edges of Sheet Metal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for connecting edges of sheet metal.

Devices are known for making pipes from bent sheet metal, by folding the edges thereof. The pipe is mounted around a cylindrical body and the fold is pressed against the cylindrical body by means of a presser roller. In this method, it is necessary to adjust the cylindrical body to correspond in shape and size to the desired pipe dimensions. Therefore, a different shape and size of pipe, requires a correspondingly different body shape and size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to connect two edges of a single sheet, or edges of two single sheets, and in particular fiat sheets, by means of folding, without the use of an inner body corresponding to the form of the desired pipes. With this object in view, the invention provides for one of the edges to be bent rectangularly in two steps. The bent edge is arranged in close proximity to the other edge of the sheet, which other edge is then folded around the bent edge in several steps. Thereafter, both bent edges are folded in a direction of a sheet portion adjacent those edges.

Thereby, it is possible, independent of the form of the sheet, to connect two edges by means of folding whereby not only cylindrical pipes, but rectangular, or square pipes can be made from at least two sheets, or two sheets can be connected at an angle.

The device, provided in accordance with the invention, includes exclusively pairs of presser rollers for deforming the edges. The presser rollers are essentially arranged in the same plane, and are disposed vertically with respect to each other. The presser rollers are also arranged in the housing of the device, or are mounted on a guide body, extending axially with respect to the pressure rollers. The guide body is arranged adjacent the housing of the device at a location where the edges of the sheet to be connected are still apart from each other. By exclusively using presser rollers, the friction created between the roller and the sheets is substantially smaller than by using an additional body for deforming the sheet metal.

The roller arrangement results in an uncomplicated arrangement of the device which is easily accessible during a breakdown.

A guide body will be pulled toward the part to be guided adjacent the edges, so that additional guiding rollers are eliminated.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the guide body and the presser rollers are so arranged that both edges of the sheet to be connected are perpendicularly disposed with respect to each other during the operation process. Such an arrangement is of special advantage for making folds for rectangular or square pipes, wherein the folds are located at the edges thereof.

A favorable arrangement of the drive elements is attained when a yieldably mounted roller is secured on the shaft which is pivotally mounted at the furthest end away from the roller, and that at least a spring adjacent the yieldable roller, forces the roller against its associated stationary roller. Thereby, the space in the housing is advantageously used, particularly if the aixs of the presser rollers are arranged at an angle of less than 45.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had in the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the presser roller pairs in accordance with the invention, arranged successively in the work direction;

FIG. 2 is a plan view in schematic form of the presser roller pairs according to FIG. 1, shown partly in section, taken along lines IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the roller pair drive means shown partly in section, taken along lines IIIIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the drive for the roller pairs in accordance with FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 to 13 show a pair of presser rollers together with an associated workpiece;

FIGS. 14 to 16 are sectional views in different scales taken along lines XIVXIV, XVXV and XVIXVI of FIG. 1.

With reference to the figures, and particularly to FIG. 14, it can be seen that the device comprises a triangular housing or base 1 which is closed at its lower portion by a cover plate 2. Housing 1 includes a center portion 3 which has a wedge-shaped cross section, the walls of center portion 3 being arranged at an angle of 45 degrees. A drive shaft 4 extends longitudinally of housing 1 onto which worm wheels 5, 6 and 7 are fixedly secured, and are in meshed engagement with corresponding worm wheels 8, 9 and 10 which are mounted on corresponding operating shafts 11, 12 and 13 laterally arranged with respect to drive shaft 4.

Operating shaft 11 is rotatably and pivotably mounted in a roller bearing 14 which in turn is mounted on a bearing plate 15. Bearing plate 15 is secured to housing 1. Operating shaft 11 carries a movable presser roller 22 opposite its roller bearing 14, which cooperates with a stationary counter presser roller 22'. The movable presser rollers are designated by reference characters 20, 21 to 29, and the corresponding stationary counter presser rollers by reference characters 21' to 29 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

Operating shaft 11 is mounted in a pin bearing 30 which lies adjacent to presser roller 22 and extends through center portion 3. The passageway in center portion 3, through which operating shaft 11 extends, is wider than operating shaft 11, so as to permit the free rotation of operating shaft 11. A cover plate 32 is secured to center portion 3 by a cover portion 31.

A retaining screw 33 is secured to center portion 3 and receives an axially movable centering piece 34, which serves to center a cup spring 35 disposed between retaining screws 33 and pin bearing 30. A further cup spring 36 is arranged between the bottom of retaining screw 33 and centering piece 34.

Operating shaft 11 drives counter presser roller 22 by means of a pair of toothed wheels 38 and 39 arranged adjacecnt presser roller pairs 22 and 22'. Counter presser roller 22 is rotatably mounted on a pin 40 by means of two pin bearings. Pin 40 is arranged within a guide body 41 which extends longitudinally of housing 1. The remaining counter presser roller pairs 21, 25, 28 and 29' are also mounted in guide body 41 similar to counter presser roller 22.

A toothed gear 42 is operatively connected with counter presser roller 21, and a toothed gear 43 with counter presser roller 22'. Both toothed gears 42 and 43 are in meshing engagement with an intermediate toothed gear 44 which is mounted in guide body 41, similar to counter presser roller 22'.

A toothed gear 45 is fixedly mounted on an operating shaft 11 which drives a further operating shaft 4-8 by means of an intermediate toothed gear 46, and a toothed a gear 47. Operating shaft 48 is connected with presser roller 21.

FIG. 15 shows the mounting of the guide body 41 on housing 1, by means of wedges 51 and 52 and retaining plate 50. A guide rod 53 is provided on retaining plate between center portion 3 and guide body 41. A counter guide rod 54 is provided above guide rod 53. A guideway is provided by means of guide rod 53' between center portion 3 and retaining plate 50. Retaining plate 50 is tapered on its upper end, and at the end which is adjacent presser roller 23.

FIG. 16 shows a drive for presser roller pairs 26 and 26 comprising worm gears 6 and 9, and drive shaft 4. Worm gear 9 is fixedly supported on operating shaft 12 which extends through center portion 3 of housing 1. The top and bottom ends of operating shaft 12 are rotatably and stationary mounted within two pin bearings 55 and 56 respectively. Bearing 55 is arranged in center portion 3 of housing 1, and bearing 56 is arranged in the support plate 57 which is secured to housing 1. Presser roller 26 is coupled to operating shaft 12 by means of the spring and groove connection. A toothed gear 58 is fixedly mounted on operating shaft 12 adjacent bearing 56, and is in meshing engagement with the toothed gear 59 which is fixedly mounted on operating shaft 60. Operating shaft 60 is arranged parallel with respect to operating shaft 12. Operating shaft 60 is pivotably mounted by means of roller bearing 14 similar to operating shaft 11.

A movable pin bearing 61 is provided adjacent presser roller 26 which is mounted in the recess of center portion 3 and covered by a plate 62. Pin bearing 61 is yieldably mounted in the same manner as pin bearing 30 as shown in pin bearing 14, whereby parts 33 to 36 may have different dimensions and may also have a different shape. These parts are mounted on a retaining plate, not shown, of housing 1. A counter guide rod 63 is mounted on guide body 41.

The operating shafts of presser roller pairs 27 and 27' are provided with meshing toothed gears 68 and 69, and operate in the same manner as toothed gears 58 and 59 of operating shaft 12 and 60. Toothed gears 58 and 68 are connected by means of an intermediate toothed gear 70.

Presser roller pairs 23 and 23, 24 and 24' are driven in the same manner as presser roller pairs 26 and 26', 27

and 27', by means of an intermediate toothed gear 72 which is in meshing engagement with toothed gear 58.

The drive of presser roller pairs 28 and 28', 29 and 29 corresponds to the presser roller pairs 21 and 21, 22 and 22', whereby the drive is transmitted to presser roller pairs 25 and 25 by means of an intermediate wheel 73. Drive shaft 4 is connected by means of a clutch 75 to a drive motor, not shown.

The shape of presser rollers 21 to 29, and 21' to 29', is shown in FIGS. 5 to 13. The frame (not shown), which extends above the housing of the device for guiding the edges of two adjoining sheets to be connected with each other, is provided. The vertically adjustable rod may be provided at the frame.

As shown in FIG. 5, two sheets 75 and 76, the edges of which are to be connected with each other, are mounted on the guide frame at right angles with respect to each other, so that they are arranged adjacent presser roller pairs 21 and 21, whereby sheet 75 is disposed vertically with respect to operating shaft 48 of presser roller 21 and sheet 76 is deformed within presser roller pairs 21 and 21'. The next deforming stage of sheet 76 between presser roller 22 and 22' is shown in FIG. 6, whereby sheet 75 is disposed vertically with respect to shaft 11.

The front ends of the sheets may be connected with each other by means of a pin (not shown), which is mounted around guide body 41. The bent otf edge of sheet 76 is guided by guide rod 53, FIG. 15, after leaving presser roller pairs 22 and 22, while sheet 75 is guided between retaining plate 50 and center portion 3 of housing 1. This guide is so arranged that at the end of retaining plate 50 both sheets 75 and 76 are adjacent to each other as shown in FIG. 7. In the next operating steps the edge of sheet 75 is folded around the edge of sheet 76 by means of presser roller pairs 23 and 23', 24 and 24, 25 and 25' as well as 26 and 26. Thereafter, both edges of sheet 75 and 76 are bent in the direction of sheet 76, FIGS. 11 and 12, and the attained fold is arranged in a common plane with sheet 76 (FIG. 13).

By appropriate arrangement of these rollers and the guide frame, the edges of a sheet bent into a pipe shape may be folded in a similar manner, whereby roller pairs 21 and 21', 22 and 22' for bending one edge of the sheet should be provided with further rollers, for bending the other edges of the sheet. The bending operation of these additional rollers corresponds to that of roller pairs 21 and 21', 22 and 22. However, the location of the bent as seen from the edge of the sheet which is subject to the additional rollers, is twice as far from the edge of the sheet than that of the edge which is subject to roller pairs 21 and 21', 22 and 22'. Roller pairs 21 and 21', 22 and 22', and the additional rollers form a guide for the respective edges of the sheet, in such a way, that both edges are guided simultaneously to roller pair 23 and 23.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for connecting a pair of sheet metal portions which respectively terminate in free edge regions, comprising the steps of arranging said sheet metal portions in mutually perpendicular planes, respectively, with said free edge regions thereof spaced from and parallel to each other, folding the free edge region of one of said sheet metal portions through so that it extends parallel to the other of the sheet metal portions, displacing the folded free edge region of said one sheet metal portion to a location next to and extending along the other sheet metal portion with the free edge region of the latter extending beyond the folded free edge region of said one sheet metal portion, then folding the free edge region of said other sheet metal portion through approximately around the folded free edge region of said one sheet metal portion so that the folded free edge region of said one sheet metal portion is received within the 180 fold of said other sheet metal portion, and then folding the 180 folded region of said other sheet metal portion with the 90 folded free edge region of the said one sheet metal portion therein against a surface of said one sheet metal portion.

2. The method of claim 1, and pressing the folded regions of said sheet metal portions into said one sheet metal portion at an exterior surface of the latter to an extent sufiicient to render the folded edge regions flush with said exterior surface of said one sheet metal portion.

3. The method of claim 1 and wherein the folding of said edge regions of said sheet metal portions takes place in 45 stages.

10 CHARLIE 6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1896 Luckett 29-2435 10/1919 Spery 29243.5 10/ 1936 Kellogg 29509 3/1941 Heydall 29243.5

1/ 1949 Robinson.

5/1965 Cain 29-509 XR T. MOON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

